Friday, October 09, 2009

McCaskill Defends Obama's Nobel Prize

"I think the rest of the world has breathed a sigh of relief . . ."

Sen. Claire McCaskill defended President Obama's Nobel Peace prize on multiple accounts, blasting the GOP via Twitter for living in an "alternative universe" and issuing a more measured statement touting Obama's international appeal.

THE RAW: McCASKILL'S TWITTER POST:

"I feel that I’m in an alternative universe. For eight years some people called anyone who disagreed with the President’s foreign policy or war in Iraq unpatriotic. Then in the course of two weeks, those same people cheer when the United States does not get selected for the Olympics and boo when our President is the unanimous choice for the Nobel Peace Prize. Go figure."

THE MEASURED: MCCASKILL'S STATEMENT:

"Today is an interesting moment for America to reflect on how the world view of our country has changed because of this president. I think we need to realize that a part, maybe a key part, of our national security is that while countries around the world see our leadership as someone who is strong, confident, and not going to be pushed around, they also recognized Obama meant what he said in his inaugural address: ‘we will extend our hand, if you will unclench your fist.’ I think the rest of the world has breathed a sigh of relief that America has a leader that is not going to lead with a 2” x 4” but rather with the strength and confidence of diplomacy.

"We had to go it alone in Iraq for so long, but since he took office President Obama has spent a lot of time building the involvement of NATO and instructing Secretary Gates and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mullen to make sure that NATO is as involved in Afghanistan as we are. That’s a huge change from the mentality of ‘we don’t need anybody else, we can go it alone.’ I try very hard not to look back, but clearly there has been a change in leadership and a change in attitude. President Obama is not going to lose grip for a moment. No one is going to push us around. No one is going to be an aggressor to the United States of America. Our strength rests on our principles, the example we set for the world, and our alliances along with the excellence and strength of our military, rather than exclusively the latter."